Bulls leave Salmons at team hotel in New York as trade deadline approaches

Bulls leave Salmons at hotel as deadline closes

NEW YORK — John Salmons missed the Bulls’ game at New York on Wednesday night, with coach Vinny Del Negro saying he was told to leave the guard at the team hotel.

That would seem to indicate Chicago was close to trading Salmons, with the league’s deadline coming Thursday afternoon.

“I’m not at liberty to say,” Del Negro said before the game. “I just got a call he’s not going to play. He’s going to be at the hotel and then I’ll find out more after the game just like everybody else.”

Salmons is scheduled to make $5.8 million next season if he doesn’t opt out of his contract. The Bulls have been hoping to clear salary to become major players in free agency during the summer.

The Bulls and Knicks both have been linked to Tracy McGrady, who the Houston Rockets have been exploring a trade for.

The Knicks were without Nate Robinson, who they said has flulike symptoms and also missed Tuesday’s game in Chicago. Media reports said New York was close to trading the backup guard to the Boston Celtics.

The team didn’t expect any trade involving Robinson to become official Wednesday night.